The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. The trombone is usually characterized by a telescopic slide which a player moves in order to vary the length of the tube thereby changing pitches. A typical trombone weighs between 11 and 17 pounds depending on the type. The weight of the instrument is usually supported with one hand while the player's other hand is free to adjust the position of the slide. Supporting the weight of the trombone with one hand during long performances can result in strain and discomfort in the player's hand. Players with smaller hands are particularly prone to hand strain when playing the trombone because their hands cannot reach across the top and bottom slide tubes in the traditional manner. Thus, players with smaller hands must compensate with alternate and often less than ideal hand hold positions.
Accordingly there is a need for a trombone hand grip device that aids in supporting a trombone in the proper playing position. It is desirable to have such a device that is configurable to fit different styles of trombones and adjustable for playing comfort and performance. Furthermore, it is desirable that the hand grip device be easily installed and removed in order to allow the trombone to be stored in a standard trombone case.